The impact of immunological mechanisms in many otolaryngological diseases has only recently been recognized. Viral contributions to the disorders of our specialty are also poorly understood. The availability of molecular methods to study these mechanisms, and to investigate many other clinical and scientific problems relevant to otolaryngology, has increased dramatically over the past decade. Surgery in general, and otolaryngology as a specialty, have been slow to recognize the importance of these areas of research. As a result, there are relatively few opportunities available for training in immunology, virology, and molecular biology research within our specialty. Over the past 25 years, the UCSD Division of Otolaryngology has steadily expanded its research in these areas, until we now have a well-established faculty and cadre of collaborators at UCSD, at nearby research institutes, including the Salk Institute and Scripps Research Institute, and at local biotechnology firms. The available talents of these investigators provide a unique and fertile training ground for young academicians who wish to pursue these areas of research so that otolaryngology can assure itself that a select group of well-trained, clinically-oriented researchers will be generated. To this end, we propose to continue our postdoctoral research training program. The trainees for such a program would be selected from MD's who wish to pursue at least two years of fellowship training during their otolaryngology residency. Trainees would receive advanced basic science or clinical research training in the application of advanced immunology, virology, and molecular biology methods to research problems in otolaryngology. They would also receive instruction in the responsible conduct of research, project design and implementation, publication of results, and grant writing skills. This has proven effective for our past trainees, several of whom are currently in full-time academic positions, and three of whom are clinician-investigators receiving funding from the NIH.